Pune (Maharashtra): Well-known Marathi poet and lyricist Namdeo Dhondo Mahanor, popularly known as 'Na Dho Mahanor,' died in a private hospital here on Thursday morning due to old age-related ailments, a family member said.
He was 81. He was admitted to the Ruby Hall Clinic here for the last few days and was on ventilator support, his grandson Shashikant Mahanor said. He died at around 8 AM. Born in 1942, Namdeo Dhondo Mahanor had been awarded Padma Shri, the fourth-highest civilian award. He is survived by two sons and three daughters.
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He had also been a member of the Maharashtra Legislative Council. Mahanor penned several popular poems and songs, including "Jagala Prem Arpave", "Ganga Wahu De Nirmal" and "Divelaganichi Vel", and also wrote songs for Marathi movies like "Ek Hota Vidushak", "Jait Re Jait", "Sarja" and others.
According to his family members, Manohar's last rites will be performed at his native place Palaskheda in the Aurangabad district of Maharashtra.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde condoled Mahanor's demise. "By presenting the relationship between letters and soil through his pen, he literally blossomed the bud of poetry. His literary works had an authentic earthy smell. He was honored with the Krishi Bhushan of the Maharashtra government and the Padma Shri award by the Centre. I pray that God gives strength to the family to recover from this painful situation," Shinde said in a Tweet in Marathi.
Nationalist Congress Party supremo Sharad Pawar described Mahanor as his close friend. "I am deeply saddened by Mahanor's demise. Born in a poor farmer's family in Palaskhed village of Aurangabad district, his childhood was spent in hardships, but his sensitive mind wandered in the forest while facing hardships. It was there that his creativity blossomed. His speeches in the Legislative Council also reflect human concerns. My family and I pay tribute to this gentle nature poet," Pawar said in a Tweet in Marathi.
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